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Call to Action for Communities: Promote Responsible Wireless Development in Your Local Area

11th December 2025

In addition to our ongoing work with local authorities, the EM Radiation Research Trust (RRT) has submitted a detailed letter to Sefton Council, urging the adoption of robust safeguards, comprehensive public consultation, and precautionary planning measures for wireless communications infrastructure. This builds on the positive example set by Castle Point Council and highlights the importance of protecting residents, particularly vulnerable groups, from potential health risks associated with RF and EMF exposure.

We call on all communities to share this guidance with their local councils, encouraging them to adopt best practices for communications infrastructure, especially regarding enhanced safeguards and meaningful public consultation.

Key points from Castle Point Council’s guidance:

♦ Satisfactory risk assessments:

“A satisfactory risk assessment provided which includes the outcomes of consultation with all residents and businesses within 500m of the installation, including any schools, colleges or residential institutions. Where the consultation highlights risks to persons that could be affected by levels of EMF radiation below ICNIRP safety thresholds this should be highlighted and addressed in the risk assessment; and iii. Information that demonstrates that satisfactory consideration has been given to areas of non-compliance (exclusion zones) and cumulative impact, to the extent that risk to human health has been avoided. The Council will apply the agent of change principle when determining if exclusion zones are appropriate.”
(Castle Point Plan, Policy Infra6, paras 19.72–19.74)

♦ Recognition of vulnerable groups:

“…the recent case of Thomas v Cheltenham Borough Council [2024] EWHC 1035 (Admin) highlights the potential risk to some individuals with medical devices from the electro-magnetic field (EMF) associated with such installations…where the public raise issues with regard to the impact of the EMF on medical devices, this should be taken into account in the decision-making process. A risk assessment addressing any concerns raised during public consultation should therefore be prepared to accompany any application.”
(Castle Point Plan, paras 19.71–19.73)

♦ Consultation requirements and planning guidance:
Aligned with the Code of Practice for Wireless Network Development in England, this ensures that operators, contractors, and Local Planning Authorities carry out public consultation prior to any application.

Why this matters

The EM Radiation Research Trust (RRT) considers Castle Point’s approach a positive step, particularly its emphasis on public consultation, vulnerable groups, cumulative impact, and exclusion zones. While RRT does not consider ICNIRP guidelines sufficient, as they address only thermal effects, we support biologically-based safety recommendations that protect all people, including those sensitive to EMF. Castle Point’s commitment to consider concerns even below ICNIRP thresholds is especially encouraging.

In our letter to Sefton Council, we urge the same standards be applied locally: comprehensive risk assessments, community consultation, consideration of vulnerable groups, cumulative impacts, and precautionary planning. Communities can take action by sharing this guidance with their councils and requesting that similar measures be adopted.

We thank the community groups and expert contributors who helped Castle Point set this positive example. We urge other councils to follow suit ensuring local communities are involved in decisions which could have major implications for health and safety.

References and Resources

Letter to Sefton Council December 2025Download